People, Must We Be So Cheap?

We go to restaurants to eat. So, I've always wondered why people come to the restaurant and bring their own food. Yeah, doesn't really make sense to me either. It's not just cause we want people to actually eat our food, but, FYI, it's also against health code for restaurants to allow outside food and drink. I understand people wanting to save money, I've definitely wanted to save a buck or two at times. But eat something before you go, and then just get an appetizer or share something, bringing your own food is just taking it too far.

But when we let people know that they can't bring in outside food, not only are they shocked, but often rude. People seem to feel entitled to do whatever they want, usually when one person is ordering food from the restaurant and they've brought in their own meal. Maybe you should've agreed on a restaurant that you both wanted to eat at!!

It's most shocking cause one of the restaurants I worked at was in the financial district so a lot of our clientele are all business people. I figure they have enough money to pay for their meals. But time and again, I'm shocked with how cheap people are. One time, we had an older couple (in their 40's or 50's) who wanted to have a bottle of wine on our patio. Ok, fair enough it was a nice day and our patio is great for people watching. Well, they wanted to drink their bottle of wine that they had purchased from the wine store inside the building, and didn't want to pay for corkage. Hmmm....ok, we have no affiliation with the wine store and they weren't ordering anything else, so the $15 corkage is all they had to pay for!!! They couldn't understand why we wouldn't let them do that. Sure, sit at one of our prime tables during happy hour but don't pay for anything...I don't think so. So, they ended up ordering a glass of wine each, and then secretly poured from their bottle! I didn't know if I should be pissed or just pity the couple for living life so cheaply.

Okay, so, that was just a $15 cop out, but another event resulted in the restaurant losing thousands!! On a gorgeous day during lunch, one of the other restaurants in our building had a minor fire and the entire building had to evacuate. People bolted right and left, especially those that were just about done with their meals. I saw people cramming the last bites into their mouth and draining their glasses and then jumping over the fence, never to be seen again. Servers were saying that people wanted their food to go and then just left without paying. And other guests refused to pay because their experience was ruined. Seriously guys, yes, it's annoying and a bummer that you had to evacuate, but if you're going to eat the food or ask for it to go, shouldn't you at the very least pay for it? Especially those who were pretty much done and just waiting to pay. It was so sad to think that all these people were just trying to skate on their bill or think that they just shouldn't have to pay for something out of our control. If they opted to sit outside and a bird crapped on them, would they not have to pay because 'their experience was ruined?' Unfortunately, the servers are also the ones who suffer. They had worked hard, and now almost an entire day's worth of tips were lost because people were too cheap to pay.

So please, if you decide to go out to a restaurant, cafe, coffee shop, order something from them! And don't think because you order just a drink, you can bring your own lunch or snack. We're adults, we have jobs, we make a little money, let's learn to spend it appropriately.

It's a Fake!!!

Truffle oil...

I see it on menus in many restaurants and I'll often order the dish that features it. I love the way it smells and that slight, earthy flavor it imparts of something just a bit elusive. However, recently, it was brought to my attention that most truffle oils are artificial. Could this be true? I had to investigate.

Unfortunately, yes. Most truffle oils are totally artificial. They are olive oil based and then mixed with a compound that mimics the aroma of truffles. Gasp! My beloved truffle oil is a fake...

I suppose it does make sense when you really think about it. Yes, truffle oil can carry a hefty price tag, and we all know that truffles are an expensive delicacy. But, if truffles are so scarce, how could they possibly be producing so many bottles of it? And as truffles become more and more scarce, how is it that the price of truffle oil doesn't increase? Well, now we know the truth.

But we shouldn't be ashamed of our ignorance. Apparently there are many chefs who are also unaware of this sham. It's natural for us to assume that truffle oil would be made from truffles, just as we assume that olive oil is made from olives (as far as I know, this is still true, but perhaps I should investiage this as well...), or the base of any other oil is what is claims to be. But why would chefs continue to use the oil even if they know it's a fake? Why not? The reputation of truffle oil precedes itself. They know it's going to help sell that dish. Plus if they were to use real truffles, they would have to use quite a fair amount to get the same result which would then drive the price of that item beyond the grasp of the ordinary consumer. I suppose with the miracle of chemistry and all, a drop of truffle oil goes a long way.

So, what does this mean for my relationship with truffle oil? Not much necessarily. I'll probably still be drawn to the dish that advertises it, but perhaps I'll approach with a bit of caution. My eyes are wide open now. Sometimes though, my nose and stomach over-rule my head and I'll go crawling back...maybe just not as often.